UPDATE 2 - Germany urges Israel to refrain from a Gaza-like military offensive in West Bank

ADDS MORE COMMENTS FROM BAERBOCK, EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged the Israeli government to refrain from a Gaza-like military offensive in the West Bank, warning that this would undermine Israel’s own security.

“Some members of the Israeli government demand a Gaza-like action in the West Bank, this is precisely what would seriously endanger Israel’s security,” she told reporters on Friday in Tel Aviv, after meeting her Israeli counterpart Israel Katz.

Baerbock said Israel’s large-scale military offensive in the West Bank would play into the hands of Hamas by further escalating tensions and incidents of violence in a wider region.

She criticized inflammatory statements from Israel’s right-wing ministers, their calls to topple the Palestinian Authority, and plans to build new settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

“Some in the Israeli government claim that the strengthening of the Palestinian Authority means rewarding terrorism. But as the EU, as Germany, we are trying to strengthen the Palestinian Authority, that is exactly what we are doing,” Baerbock said.

“We are doing this because we are deeply convinced that only with credible steps toward a Palestinian state, with reforming and strengthening the Palestinian Authority, Israel’s security can be secured and terrorism can be fought,” she added.

The German foreign minister was on her ninth visit to Israel since the beginning of the Gaza war, and she was scheduled to travel to the West Bank later in the day to meet Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa.

After her talks in Tel Aviv, Baerbock told reporters that Germany was concerned over the growing violence by extremist Israeli settlers, as well as plans for new illegal settlements, adding that she conveyed Berlin’s concerns during her meetings with Israeli counterparts.

- Israeli illegal settlements

“A first important step towards easing tensions in the West Bank and also toward building trust with partners in the region would be, in our view, for the Israeli government to take stronger and more visible action against the violent acts of radical settlers,” Baerbock said.

“Anyone who attacks people, drives them out of their homes, or even kills them, must be held accountable and severely punished. As we have clearly said several times, building settlements in the West Bank clearly violates international law, and is illegal,” the minister continued.

“In my view, the Israeli government could regain lost international trust by stopping the ongoing settlement projects, as a first step. In these times, it is above all about trust, Israel needs the trust of partners,” she added.

- Gaza cease-fire talks

Baerbock repeated her call for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, to bring in more humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians, and ensure the release of all remaining hostages.

"The past weekend has dramatically demonstrated that a purely military approach is no solution to the situation in Gaza. Purely military pressure, as we saw last weekend, endangers the lives of the hostages,” she stressed.

Baerbock said, during her meeting with Israeli foreign minister Katz, they have discussed the ongoing diplomatic efforts for a cease-fire agreement in Gaza.

“Nothing is more important than the fate of the remaining hostages, all other considerations are secondary. Everyone is aware that a deal with Hamas involves paying a high price, but the lives of the hostages are worth it,” she said.